Congo Ebola death toll surpasses 5,000 as outbreak expands

Congo Ebola death toll surpasses 5,000 as outbreak expands
Health workers and humanitarian responders on the front lines of the Ebola response receive a vaccination due to their potential DR Congo, 16 October 2026.
Reuters

The death toll from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 5,000, according to government figures released on Friday, as health authorities continue to struggle to contain the country's worst-ever Ebola epidemic.

More than 10,000 people have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May, making it the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak on record.

Health officials say efforts to control the virus have been hampered by delayed detection of cases, armed conflict in affected areas and pressure on already stretched healthcare services. The outbreak has spread to eight of Congo's 26 provinces, with many patients dying outside dedicated treatment centres.

The epidemic is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

The crisis has also expanded beyond Congo's borders. Last week, Nigeria became the fourth African country to report a case linked to the outbreak, while Kenya and Uganda have also recorded infections.

Only the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone was larger, infecting more than 28,600 people and killing over 11,000.

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